Tasmania headed for Liberal govt: poll

A FIRST Tasmanian Liberal government in 16 years is looking more likely with a new poll suggesting the party will record a thumping election victory next week.

A ReachTEL survey shows the opposition still well ahead of Labor and Liberal leader Will Hodgman almost twice as popular as Premier Lara Giddings.

Support for the Liberal remained steady at 47 per cent, while the ALP dropped a point to 23.6.

Mr Hodgman is the preferred premier with 54.6 per cent support from the 2600 Tasmanians polled.

Ms Giddings has slumped to 24.7 per cent.

The poll, published on Hobart newspaper The Mercury's website, suggests the Liberals are on track to gain the three seats they need for an absolute majority in the state's 25-member lower house.

It came on a bad day for the government, as the opposition attacked it over speculation Ms Giddings would be dumped as ALP leader even if she pulled off a miraculous victory on March 15.

A Labor source has reportedly suggested ambitious minister David O'Byrne would be installed as the new leader.

"David O'Byrne is already measuring up the curtains in Lara Giddings' office and will roll her regardless of what happens at the election," deputy Liberal leader Jeremy Rockliff said.

Ms Giddings has endured criticism from within her party since claiming she would "absolutely" work in another power-sharing arrangement with the Greens last year.

She backflipped on that when calling the election in January but has continued to face calls from rogue backbencher Brenton Best to step down.

Labor also came under fire on Friday from one of its own.

In an open letter to an education forum, Denison candidate Madeleine Ogilvie declared the Liberals' policy on autism better than the ALP's.

"If elected I would have no hesitation in supporting the proposed policy of the Liberal Party on autism," Ms Ogilvie wrote.

Ms Giddings was meanwhile seeking to spotlight financial management, attacking the Liberals for failing to reveal their budget bottom line.

The premier said the opposition had racked up half-a-billion dollars worth of promises, but only revealed spending of $386 million.

"How can the Liberals be trusted to run the state when they can't even add up?" Ms Giddings said.

The premier continued her attack on the Abbott government by joining by the ALP's federal communications spokesman Jason Clare to demand out-of-pocket contractors working on the National Broadband Network be compensated.

The NBN has been an election issue since it was revealed the Tasmanian rollout would use copper wire rather than fibre from next year.